Running is one of the most popular forms of exercise in the world, with millions of people regularly using it as part of their fitness routine. Unfortunately, the health benefits of regular running also increase the risks of orthopedic injuries. It has been found that up to 24% of runners suffer injuries that force them to stop training for seven days or more.
The knee joint is most commonly injured, and the leading condition is anterior knee pain (AKP). As with many other types of overuse injuries, several factors contribute to the development of AKP: errors in the training process, biomechanical issues, and anatomical abnormalities. A new study published in the Journal of Applied Biomechanics identified two factors most often leading to AKP: “excessive” and/or “prolonged” pronation.
According to this paradigm, excessive and/or prolonged pronation is believed to keep the tibia in an internally rotated position when the knee starts to straighten, thus disrupting the “screwing mechanism.”